'A hoax, child?' replied Miss Ossulton, sitting up on the sofa.

Cecilia found that she had hit the right nail, as the saying is; and she brought forward so many arguments to prove that she thought it was a hoax to frighten them, and that the gentleman above was a man of consequence, that her aunt began to listen to reason, and at last consented to join the dinner party. Mrs. Lascelles now came down below; and when dinner was announced they repaired to the large cabin, where they found Pickersgill and Corbett waiting for them.

Miss Ossulton did not venture to look up, until she heard Pickersgill say to Mrs. Lascelles, 'Perhaps, madam, you will do me the favour to introduce me to that lady, whom I have not had the honour of seeing before?'

'Certainly, my lord,' replied Mrs. Lascelles. 'Miss Ossulton, the aunt of this young lady.'

Mrs. Lascelles purposely did not introduce _his lordship_ in return, that she might mystify the old spinster.

'I feel highly honoured in finding myself in the company of Miss Ossulton,' said Pickersgill. 'Ladies, we wait but for you to sit down.

Ossulton, take the head of the table and serve the soup.

Miss Ossulton was astonished; she looked at the smugglers, and perceived two well-dressed gentlemanly men, one of whom was apparently a lord, and the other having the same family name.

'It must be all a hoax,' thought she, and she very quietly took to her soup.

The dinner pa.s.sed off very pleasantly; Pickersgill was agreeable, Corbett funny, and Miss Ossulton so far recovered herself as to drink wine with his lordship, and to ask Corbett what branch of their family he belonged to.

'I presume it's the Irish branch?' said Mrs. Lascelles, prompting him.

'Exactly, madam,' replied Corbett.

'Have you ever been to Torquay, ladies?' inquired Pickersgill.

'No, my lord,' answered Mrs. Lascelles.

'We shall anchor there in the course of an hour, and probably remain there till to-morrow. Steward, bring coffee. Tell the cook these cutlets were remarkably well dressed.'

The ladies retired to their cabin. Miss Ossulton was now convinced that it was all a hoax; 'but,' said she, 'I shall tell Lord B. my opinion of their practical jokes when he returns. What is his lordship's name who is on board?'

'He won't tell us,' replied Mrs. Lascelles; 'but I think I know; it is Lord Blarney.'

'Lord Blaney, you mean, I presume,' said Miss Ossulton; 'however, the thing is carried too far. Cecilia, we will go on sh.o.r.e at Torquay, and wait till the yacht returns with Lord B. I don't like these jokes; they may do very well for widows, and people of no rank.'

Now Mrs. Lascelles was sorry to find Miss Ossulton so much at her ease.

She owed her no little spite, and wished for revenge. Ladies will go very far to obtain this. How far Mrs. Lascelles would have gone, I will not pretend to say; but this is certain, that the last innuendo of Miss Ossulton very much added to her determination. She took her bonnet and went on deck, at once told Pickersgill that he could not please her or Cecilia more than by frightening Miss Ossulton, who, under the idea that it was all a hoax, had quite recovered her spirits; talked of her pride and ill-nature, and wished her to receive a useful lesson. Thus, to follow up her revenge, did Mrs. Lascelles commit herself so far as to be confidential with the smuggler in return.

'Mrs. Lascelles, I shall be able to obey you, and, at the same time, to combine business with pleasure.'

After a short conversation, the yacht dropped her anchor at Torquay. It was then about two hours before sunset. As soon as the sails were furled, one or two gentlemen, who resided there, came on board to pay their respects to Lord B.; and, as Pickersgill had found out from Cecilia that her father was acquainted with no one there, he received them in person; asked them down into the cabin--called for wine--and desired them to send their boat away, as his own was going on sh.o.r.e. The smugglers took great care that the steward, cook, and lady's-maid should have no communication with the guests; one of them, by Corbett's direction, being a sentinel over each individual. The gentlemen remained about half an hour on board, during which Corbett and the smugglers had filled the portmanteaus found in the cabin with the lace, and they were put in the boat; Corbett then landed the gentlemen in the same boat, and went up to the hotel, the smugglers following him with the portmanteaus, without any suspicion or interruption. As soon as he was there, he ordered post-horses, and set off for a town close by, where he had correspondents; and thus the major part of the cargo was secured.

Corbett then returned in the night, bringing with him people to receive the goods; and the smugglers landed the silks, teas, etc., with the same good fortune. Everything was out of the yacht except a portion of the lace, which the portmanteaus would not hold. Pickersgill might easily have sent this on sh.o.r.e; but, to please Mrs. Lascelles, he arranged otherwise.

The next morning, about an hour after breakfast was finished, Mrs.

Lascelles entered the cabin pretending to be in the greatest consternation, and fell on the sofa as if she were going to faint.

'Good heavens! what is the matter?' exclaimed Cecilia, who knew very well what was coming.

'Oh, the wretch! he has made such proposals!'

'Proposals! what proposals? what! Lord Blaney?' cried Miss Ossulton.

'Oh, he's no lord! he's a villain and a smuggler! and he insists that we shall both fill our pockets full of lace, and go on sh.o.r.e with him.'

'Mercy on me! Then it is no hoax after all; and I've been sitting down to dinner with a smuggler!'

'Sitting down, madam!--if it were to be no more than that--but we are to take his arm up to the hotel. Oh, dear! Cecilia, I am ordered on deck; pray come with me!'

Miss Ossulton rolled on the sofa, and rang for Phoebe; she was in a state of great alarm.

A knock at the door.

'Come in,' said Miss Ossulton, thinking it was Phoebe; when Pickersgill made his appearance.

'What do you want, sir? Go out, sir! go out directly, or I'll scream!'

'It is no use screaming, madam; recollect that all on board are at my service. You will oblige me by listening to me, Miss Ossulton. I am, as you know, a smuggler; and I must send this lace on sh.o.r.e. You will oblige me by putting it into your pockets, or about your person, and prepare to go on sh.o.r.e with me. As soon as we arrive at the hotel, you will deliver it to me, and I then shall reconduct you on board of the yacht. You are not the first lady who has gone on sh.o.r.e with contraband articles about her person.'

'Me, sir! go on sh.o.r.e in that way? No, sir--never! What will the world say?--the Hon. Miss Ossulton walking with a smuggler! No, sir--never!'

'Yes, madam; walking arm-in-arm with a smuggler. I shall have you on one arm, and Mrs. Lascelles on the other; and I would advise you to take it very quietly; for, in the first place, it will be you who smuggle, as the goods will be found on your person, and you will certainly be put in prison; for at the least appearance of insubordination, we run and inform against you; and further, your niece will remain on board as a hostage for your good behaviour--and if you have any regard for her liberty, you will consent immediately.'

Pickersgill left the cabin, and shortly afterwards Cecilia and Mrs.

Lascelles entered, apparently much distressed. They had been informed of all, and Mrs. Lascelles declared, that for her part, sooner than leave her poor Cecilia to the mercy of such people, she had made up her mind to submit to the smuggler's demands. Cecilia also begged so earnestly, that Miss Ossulton, who had no idea that it was a trick, with much sobbing and blubbering, consented.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Miss Ossulton, frightened out of her wits, took his arm; and, with Mrs. Lascelles on the other, they went up to the hotel._]

When all was ready Cecilia left the cabin; Pickersgill came down, handed up the two ladies, who had not exchanged a word with each other during Cecilia's absence; the boat was ready alongside--they went in, and pulled on sh.o.r.e. Everything succeeded to the smuggler's satisfaction.

Miss Ossulton, frightened out of her wits, took his arm; and, with Mrs.

Lascelles on the other, they went up to the hotel, followed by four of his boat's crew. As soon as they were shown into a room, Corbett, who was already on sh.o.r.e, asked for Lord B., and joined them. The ladies retired to another apartment, divested themselves of their contraband goods, and after calling for some sandwiches and wine, Pickersgill waited an hour, and then returned on board. Mrs. Lascelles was triumphant; and she rewarded her new ally--the smuggler--with one of her sweetest smiles. Community of interest will sometimes make strange friendships.

CHAPTER VII

CONCLUSION

We must now return to the other parties who have a.s.sisted in the acts of this little drama. Lord B., after paddling and paddling, the men relieving each other, in order to make head against the wind, which was off sh.o.r.e, arrived about midnight at a small town in West Bay, from whence he took a chaise on to Portsmouth, taking it for granted that his yacht would arrive as soon as, if not before himself, little imagining that it was in possession of the smugglers. There he remained three or four days, when, becoming impatient, he applied to one of his friends who had a yacht at Cowes, and sailed with him to look after his own.

We left the _Happy-go-lucky_ chased by the revenue cutter. At first the smuggler had the advantage before the wind; but, by degrees, the wind went round with the sun, and brought the revenue cutter to leeward: it was then a chase on a wind, and the revenue cutter came fast up with her.

Morrison, perceiving that he had no chance of escape, let run the ankers of brandy that he might not be condemned; but still he was in an awkward situation, as he had more men on board than allowed by Act of Parliament. He therefore stood on, notwithstanding the shot of the cutter went over and over him, hoping that a fog or night might enable him to escape; but he had no such good fortune; one of the shot carried away the head of his mast, and the _Happy-go-lucky's_ luck was all over.

He was boarded and taken possession of; he a.s.serted that the extra men were only pa.s.sengers; but, in the first place, they were dressed in seamen's clothes; and, in the second, as soon as the boat was aboard of her, Appleboy had gone down to his gin-toddy, and was not to be disturbed. The gentlemen smugglers therefore pa.s.sed an uncomfortable night; and the cutter going to Portland by daylight, before Appleboy was out of bed, they were taken on sh.o.r.e to the magistrate. Hautaine explained the whole affair, and they were immediately released and treated with respect; but they were not permitted to depart until they were bound over to appear against the smugglers, and prove the brandy having been on board. They then set off for Portsmouth in the seamen's clothes, having had quite enough of yachting for that season, Mr.

Ossulton declaring that he only wanted to get his luggage, and then he would take care how he put himself again in the way of the shot of a revenue cruiser, or of sleeping a night on her decks.

In the meantime Morrison and his men were locked up in the jail, the old man, as the key was turned on him, exclaiming, as he raised his foot in vexation, 'That cursed blue pigeon.'